LAST-DITCH efforts from Devon County Council to stop Exeter forming a breakaway authority has seen a senior officer approach the House of Lords for support.

With speculation mounting that Exeter's home-rule unitary bid has been successful, Peter Doyle, the head of external affairs at the county council, has been writing to peers to outline why the move should not go ahead.

A decision had been expected during the visit of Gordon Brown and his cabinet to Exeter Racecourse on Friday but it is now reported to be imminent.

The Government needs to act quickly to be able to complete the parliamentary process during this session and to lobby late support, Mr Doyle has been writing to peers from all parties and cross benches who he believes have a strong interest in local government.

He has also agreed to meet members of the House of Lords on a trip to London this week.

Communities Secretary John Denham has been reviewing two options following a public consultation.

One would see Exeter going it alone as a unitary authority but expanding its boundary to include areas like Exmouth.

The other option is for a super council covering the entire county, excluding Plymouth and Torbay.

In a letter to Lord Trevor Smith of Clifton, Mr Doyle wrote: "Worryingly, it appears that the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government intends to break up the existing excellent countywide services such as roads and transport, social services and education and create of a small unitary council for the city of Exeter, Devon's historic county capital and the economic engine for the county.

"If this proves to be the case it would fly in the face of all the independent evidence and advice, reject every prudent voice of caution and ignore the hard realities of Britain in recession.

"Were the Secretary of State to create a separate unitary council in Exeter it would tear the strategic and administrative heart out of the county and duplicate all of the services the county council already provides. It would inevitably increase costs for taxpayers without achieving any savings."

He argues that the Secretary of State's predecessor judged Exeter to be "unaffordable" as a unitary council — a view endorsed by Boundary Committee.

He said: "The committee says the only unitary model capable of achieving the Government's desired outcomes is a countywide unitary authority.

"Were the Secretary of State to lay an order in Parliament for such a contentious new authority now it would be a highly political and divisive act this close to a General Election and would certainly prompt applications to the High Court for judicial review."

Exeter City Council has cross party backing for its own unitary bid and said has repeatedly rejected the claims it would be unaffordable.

Meanwhile, Echo readers have been reacting to the visit of Brown and his Cabinet in an event that saw him being grilled by a panel of readers.

The leader of Devon County Council, Cllr John Hart, had expressed his "disappointment" that Brown did not speak to him about the unitary situation.

On the Echo website Keith, of Redhills, said: "I wonder how much this publicity stunt has cost the local taxpayer?"

Chris, from East Devon, said: "I didn't agree with their visit — get Ghastly Gordon and his electioneering cronies back to London where they belong."